Gadgets

Designed for bedroom use, the $799 (on sale for $599) GV50 features a pivoting base so it can project on a wall or the ceiling above a bed.

It runs Google TV so streaming apps like Netflix can be installed, and support for DisplayPort Alt Mode means the Nintendo Switch can be connected using just a single USB-C cable.

I don’t need a lot in a folding Bluetooth keyboard. It just needs to support multiple wireless devices, plus USB-C direct connect, and not get all floppy on my lap! Would you believe there aren’t a lot of keyboards like that? 

Previously only available in purple or aqua, the $29 Playdate Cover that magnetically attaches to the crankable handheld to protect its unlit screen is now available in a third option: the Pizza Cover.

It looks like a miniature pizza box without the grease stains or a delicious late night snack inside, and is now available through the Playdate website in “limited quantities.”

The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10 Plus Pro ($600) arrives today with better navigation, more suction power, quieter operation, and increased corner cleaning ability over the K10 Plus.

The Plus is my current pick for a robot vacuum for small spaces. Its small self-empty dock and compact size make it great for a home office or small apartment. I’ll be putting the new model to the test soon.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission.

What’s more impressive than Saudi Arabian gamer Ibrahim Al-Nasser’s collection of hundreds of retro consoles is that 444 of them are actively connected to a single TV.

The setup includes over 30 RCA switchers for the older hardware and at least 12 HDMI switchers. A detailed spreadsheet lets Al-Nasser know which switcher needs to be powered up to play a specific console.

If you’re on the hunt for a wireless controller with extensive compatibility and ‘90s design aesthetics, the new 8BitDo Pro 2 Special Edition could mark the end of your search.

It features Hall effect joysticks, support for the Switch, iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and SteamOS, can store and quickly switch between three customized profiles, and comes in a new transparent green or blue finish.

At its D23 showcase, Disney Imagineering showed off HoloTile, a very fancy floor that lets you move things on it or stay in place while you walk. It uses tilting, circular discs that spin in synchrony, moving the “floor” as you walk.

The middle video below shows what each of those pieces looks like.

IEEE Spectrum’s Tekla S. Perry spoke to Fitbit founders James Park and Eric Friedman, as well as designers and engineers to get the complete story on how the company’s first clip-on fitness tracker — inspired by the Nintendo Wii’s motion-tracking capabilities — came to be.

Panasonic resurrected the legendary Technics 1200 turntable eight years ago, but Tamás Borján’s version will appeal to both nostalgic DJs and Lego fans.

This 2,215-piece Technics SL-1200 MK2 won’t actually play records but it’s got a motorized platter that spins, a movable tone arm with an adjustable counter balance, and a sliding pitch fader.

With Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD) features like Wooting and Razer’s new Rappy Snappy / Snap Tap enabled, FPS players don’t have to let go of one key to press another, enabling near-instant changes of direction. Some players have called it “basically cheating.”

Now SteelSeries says a beta update for its GG software (68.0.0) adds the same thing for all Apex Pro keyboards.

Instead of opting for a third-party lighting accessory to improve the original Game Boy’s screen, modder James Channel replaced it entirely with a compact CRT salvaged from a video intercom.

Many sticks of hot glue later the Game Boy (or is it now a Game Man?) finally has a glowing screen but runs for just over two minutes on four AA batteries.

The new Aibo Kinako Edition is the first to feature a two-tone finish on its face and will include two new eye color options.

It will be officially available starting tomorrow in Japan, but Sony has also announced a ¥55,000 (about $374) price increase for its already pricey robot dog, citing the rising costs of raw materials.

Used by artists like Run DMC and the Beastie Boys, the Roland TR-808 drum machine’s legacy now lives on in a pair of New Balance sneakers.

Available on August 8th for $119.99, the NB Numeric Tiago Lemos 808, created in collaboration with Brazilian skateboarding legend, Tiago Lemos, feature Roland’s logo stitched on the sneaker’s tongue and include a tiny (non-functional) TR-808 keychain.

The EP-1320 “instrumentalis electronicum” is preloaded with Dark Ages instruments and effects, including the hurdy gurdy, gittern, tambour, plus swordfights and “two separate witches.”

Yes, it’s an even-less-scrutable version of the EP-133 sampler I couldn’t make hide nor hair of, but sore tempted am I to drop $299 and annoy the hell out of my D&D group.

Google’s design chief, Ivy Ross, says, “I think it took a lot of courage to reimagine its design because when it launched, it was really the start of a new era where smart home devices weren’t just functional but beautiful, too.”

The Nest was no headphone jack, though. While the original brought beauty to home tech, precious few companies followed suit. Maybe this “courageous” new version will be the trendsetter.